How Brands Bite You in the Butt!

Brands are a godsend. They make shopping and cooking a snap, especially after you’ve found products your kids will happily eat.

But for parents trying to teach their kids about new foods, the miracle of manufacturing — that food producers always turn out the exact same product (same taste, same texture, same look, same smell) — is also a curse.

When brand names become an eating habit, kids won’t accept even small variations in the foods they eat.

Giving kids who are reluctant to try new foods a Skippy Peanut Butter sandwich every day – because that’s the brand they demand — is akin to parental suicide. It is like begging your kids never to try anything new again.

The more your children expect blueberry yogurt to taste exactly like – and only like – the way Stonyfield makes their blueberry yogurt, the less open they are to foods that are different.

Does it matter if that’s how your kids relate to yogurt? Not so much (although it might if they’re starving some afternoon and you find the local grocer is out of that kind of yogurt). But if you have children who only eat Tyson chicken nuggets, Polly-O cheese, and Eggo waffles, then the pattern of sameness is working against you.

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Comments

i don’t even have kids, but i love this. have you heard the mantra to not buy any food that has a commercial? it doesn’t entirely work since eggs, orange juice, pistachios, etc. all have commercials now. but as far as avoiding the over processed branded foods, it works for me.

There are so many reasons to avoid processed foods, aren’t there! But, I have to say, I still love them. And you’re right, you can’t avoid buying this that have commercials since, these days, everything does.

Nothing beats the Day-Glo orange of Kraft mac ‘n cheese! Personally, I have to admit that I love the stuff. But teaching your daughter to eat the boxed and the homemade kind is just the kind of "beginner" variety kids need.